All the while voting on amendments to the Constitution of the various opposition try to find vulnerabilities in new systems of voting. One of the ways is to try to vote multiple times in various ways, including from abroad. How to treat attacks of the electoral system and how to punish these provocateurs?
A group of Russians living in Israel, in collusion four submitted ballots for voting on amendments to the Constitution. This was announced on Monday, the Deputy head of the CEC Nikolai Bulaev. Moreover, these provocateurs openly talked about the offense. “This was stated by Mrs Elias, the vote is held in Israel and another gentleman… he was voted in the UK”, – stated the Deputy head of the CEC.
Living in Israel for a citizen of Russia Yael Elias (or “Illinska,” as she seems to) announced that thrice was able to vote against the amendments – she said the TV channel “Rain”. According to the woman, she had submitted ballots at the Russian Embassy in tel Aviv and the Consulate in Haifa. In addition, Elias says that for the third time voted via the online portal 2020og.ru. Recall that the expression of will in electronic form is available only for residents of Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod region, after prior appointment via the portal of public services, with passport data.
Moreover Bulaev, referring to the statement of Elias, stated: a resident of Israel “was involved in the activities of his underage daughter, who had the right to vote – 18 years marks the 10th July.” Obviously, Elias’s daughter could not be in the lists of voting no on the relevant portal or at the polling station.
“the overseas vote, Russian legislation defines as the vote of person – a person comes to the polling station, present a passport, it make the list of voters. And this whole procedure is, of course, a conscientious person and it is not really intended to apply this procedure to any criminal action,” he sccal Bulaev.
He stressed that after the vote, the CEC will be able to create a database of all voters and detect multiple voting. Database of voters abroad is about 200-250 thousand people.
Experts agree – an attempt to re-ballot stuffing took place not only on the stations abroad. “We have several cases where people claim that they tried to vote twice – told the newspaper VIEW head of working group of Public chamber on public control over the voting Maxim Grigoriev. – Including when people voted on the local area, and then fled to another area. They were in SGaware with his friend from the election Commission.”
Received wide publicity attempts not just to re, but defiantly re-vote. Last Thursday, journalist and host of “Rain” Pavel Lobkov said that he had voted twice on the site in Moscow and remotely in electronic form. In similar terms reported on its “double try” the representative of movement “the Voice” Basil Weissenberg.
We should immediately stress that “joke” with the voting system failed neither in Russia nor in foreign areas.
“by 11 a.m. I received the information that the Bulletin Elias invalidated”, – told the newspaper VIEW Chairman of the Association “Civil control”, a member of the presidential Council for human rights Alexander Brod.
Recall that the Bulletin Lobkova also revoked, will be taken into account only his electronic voice, the urn with his sealed ballot. The head of Moscow election Committee Yury Yermolov assured participants of remote voting, tried to vote at regular polling will be taken into account only once.
Similar cases cannot influence the vote, said Monday the press-Secretary of President Dmitry Peskov.
“I have no doubt that the Central election Commission will take steps to clarify this situation, where necessary – making adjustments and improving methods of work”, – said Peskov.
Experts in network security, I see no reason for the special claims to the electronic voting system. Thanks to blockchain technology and other means of protection, the system will not allow you to vote multiple times using one account on the portal.
“If the same Yael Elias was listed as eligible to vote online, so she has a registration in Moscow or Nizhny Novgorod, where such voting is allowed. Otherwise the system would simply not found,” – said the newspaper VIEW senior analyst of the Regional public center of Internet technologies (ROCIT) URVAN Parfentiev.
“But how she could still vote even on the regular site is hard to understand – said Parfentiev. – If the person is logged in to the digital voting system, and then it is not deleted out of the ordinary, then it’s negligence and, to paraphrase comrade Stalin, this negligence has a name, surname and patronymic”.
According to experts, the incident should draw two conclusions. The first is technical.
“If you give the opportunity to choose between conventional and electronic ballot between the voter lists should be sync,” said Parfentiev.
The second conclusion is disciplinary, in respect of members of election commissions who missed “shutthe ICA” or joined with them in a conspiracy (as in the case that the above mentioned Grigoriev). To the members of the election commissions that have issued ballots to those who have already voted, will take disciplinary action on behalf of the electoral system assured the head of the Moscow electoral Commission Yermolov.
But first and foremost to think about the consequences will have to re-vote – even if they think that they were testing the system for vulnerabilities. “Incidents of Pubic and Weißenberg showed the very next day it came to law enforcement officers summoned for questioning. Everyone understands that this is not a joke,” said Ford. He said: “Let the reaction occurs not once, but, says CEC Chairman, Ella Pamfilova, all these tricks still manage to catch and violators will be prosecuted”.
The actions of those of our fellow citizens fall under article 142 of the criminal code – “Falsification of selective documents”, warned the Deputy head of the Central election Commission Bulaev. For illegal issuance and receipt of the newsletter relies fine of up to 300 thousand roubles or term in jail up to three years.
As suggested by a member of the OP Grigoriev, under the Criminal code the sanction for fraud in the vote looks convincing enough.
“If the punishment does not prevent violations of the electoral law, then the question arises about tightening,” said the source.
Note that severe sanctions for a re-vote – a common practice in countries that are considered models of democracy.
Russian – citizen of London, who decided to vote twice, note: for a similar fraud in British elections citizen of the United Kingdom would be punished very severely, said a member of the Public chamber Maria Butina. Wheeler-dealer relies fine of up to 5 thousand pounds (in Russia the maximum penalty, in terms of British currency – 3, 4 thousand pounds).
In the United States to someone who decides to “stress” the electoral system, are even stricter.
“Wendy Rosen for double voting in 2006 and 2010, was sentenced to five years probation, 5 thousand dollar fine and 500 hours of community service – gave an example of Butina. for attempted double voting in the elections in 2012 in Arizona David Milton received a conviction a fine of 4 thousand 575 dollars, and was sentenced to 117 hours of community service. And such cases there are hundreds.”
In some States the courts can impose a life ban on participation in voting, said a member of the OP.
Perhaps Russia would be useful tougher penalties for repeat voting, says Butina. She said: “public awareness is good. The will of the people and work for its improvement – a good thing, but that’s about��of okazii and discrediting is bad”.
